This invention relates to sprinkler devices of the type utilized in connection with conventional pivot move and lateral move irrigation systems and, more specifically, to an improved modular sprinkler which incorporates a quick change, easily identifiable nozzle construction.
Moving irrigation systems, such as conventional pivot move and lateral move systems, typically incorporate conduit truss span assemblies which mount sprinkler heads, spaced along the truss assemblies for sprinkling or irrigating relatively large areas of land. The sprinkling heads may be mounted on top of the truss assemblies in a normal upright position, or they may be inverted and suspended from the span assembly by means of drop tubes. Another alternative is to utilize a hose drag type sprinkler, suspended from the truss assembly, and dragged on the ground through and between, for example, rows of crops.
Because of the large number of sprinkling heads utilized in a conventional pivot move or lateral move agricultural irrigation system, and because of the remote locations of such systems, it is important to be able to replace, and/or repair the sprinkler heads simply, quickly and efficiently.
The assignee of this invention currently manufactures modular spray heads which include a sprinkler body and a stream distributor (for example, a rotor plate or a fixed spray plate) which is designed for quick assembly and disassembly from the sprinkler body. The stream distributor is removably mounted within a cap assembly which, in turn, is secured to the sprinkler body in such a way that the cap is easily removable from the body to thereby facilitate replacement of the stream distributor and/or the nozzle, the latter being threaded into an interior bore of the sprinkler body. Nozzles threaded within the interior bores of sprinkler bodies, however, are difficult to access and usually involves removal of at least the cap/distributor assembly before access is gained to the nozzle. The nozzle must then be removed, usually with the help of a specialized tool.
The present invention relates to an improved modular sprinkler assembly which greatly facilitates the removal and replacement of the sprinkler nozzle. The invention also relates to a unique nozzle construction which allows the operator to easily identify the nozzle currently in use, and hence, also facilitates the selection of a replacement nozzle of the same or different size.
More specifically, the sprinkler body is provided with an inlet end having an internal screw thread which is adapted to receive a complementarily threaded male outlet end of the adapter. The adapter itself is provided with a second or inlet end for threaded connection to a drop tube, hose or other water supply conduit. An intermediate portion of the adapter between the threaded male inlet and outlet ends is provided with flat peripheral surfaces in the manner of a bolt head to facilitate loosening or tightening of the adapter with a wrench or similar tool.
The male outlet end of the adapter which is to be threadably secured within the sprinkler body inlet is in the form of four radially extending but circumferentially spaced lugs, each of which is provided with a part of the screw thread. This arrangement thus also provides an equal number of circumferentially spaced, axially extending recesses or grooves. In other words, this end of the adapter can be viewed as a conventional threaded male connector having an initially continuous screw thread which has been interrupted at circumferentially spaced locations by axially extending cut-out portions or grooves.
The unique nozzle construction in this exemplary embodiment includes a tubular portion having an inlet at one end and a discharge orifice at the opposite end. Adjacent the discharge orifice, there is provided an annular radially outwardly extending flanged portion. Four integral webs or struts spaced circumferentially about the flange, extend in an axial direction toward the inlet end of the tubular portion of the nozzle. The ends of the webs remote from the discharge orifice support an annular identification band concentrically with respect to the tubular portion and the discharge orifice. The identification band or ring has larger inside and outside diameters than the annular flanged portion, and is thus spaced radially outwardly of the tubular portion of the nozzle. As a result, the periphery of the identification band or ring extends radially beyond the adapter and is thus highly visible. The identification band or ring may be color coded to indicate nozzle size, or it may be embossed (or printed) with numbers or other indicia, also indicative of nozzle size.
The nozzle construction as described above is adapted to be telescoped over the outlet end of the adapter so that the tubular portion of the nozzle is received within the through bore of the adapter, with the webs or struts seated within the axial grooves between the threaded lugs. An O-ring, seated within an annular groove at the interface of the tubular portion and the annular flange of the nozzle, is designed to be compressed by the end face of the outlet end of the adapter, thus providing a water tight seal between the nozzle and the adapter. In other words, water flowing through the adapter must flow through the tubular portion of the nozzle and cannot escape in the area surrounding the webs or struts.
With the nozzle in place on the adapter, the adapter may be threadably secured within the inlet end of the sprinkler body. By seating the webs or struts in the axial grooves or recesses in the adapter, the webs do not interfere with the threaded connection between the adapter and the sprinkler body.
With the above described arrangement, it will be appreciated that the nozzle is easily changed simply by removing the adapter (no tools are required to remove the adapter), sliding the nozzle off the adapter, replacing it with a new nozzle, and rethreading the adapter into the sprinkler body. At the same time, the highly visible identification band on the nozzle allows the operator to quickly determine what size nozzle is currently in the sprinkler so that a replacement nozzle of the same size can be inserted, or where desired, so that a nozzle of a different size can be substituted for the original nozzle.
In its broader aspects, the invention relates to a sprinkler comprising an inlet and an outlet, an adapter secured to the inlet, and a rotatable stream distributor plate located downstream of the outlet, the improvement comprising a quick change nozzle slidably received on the adapter, the nozzle having a discharge orifice located at the outlet and an externally visible identification band adjacent the inlet at an interface between the adapter and the body.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a sprinkler comprising a body having an inlet end, an outlet end and a support structure extending beyond the outlet end; a tubular adapter removably secured to the inlet end of the body; a quick change nozzle slidably interposed between the adapter and the body such that part of the nozzle is received within the adapter and another part of the nozzle including a discharge orifice is received within the body and extends to the outlet end, and wherein the nozzle is held in place by the adapter; and a cap assembly removably secured to the support structure, the cap assembly mounting a rotatable stream distributor plate in axial alignment with the discharge orifice.
In still another aspect the invention relates to a sprinkler comprising a body having an inlet and an outlet, a first component adapted for connection to the inlet, the first component carrying a nozzle in at least partially telescoped relationship therewith, on one end of the first component; and wherein the one end is provided with a screw thread for threadably attaching the first component to the inlet.
In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a replaceable nozzle for use on a sprinkler, the nozzle comprising a radially inner tubular nozzle portion and a radially outer identification ring, the inner tubular nozzle portion and the outer identification ring being connected by a plurality of substantially axially extending struts.
It will be appreciated that the modular nozzle construction of this invention may be utilized in a number of different modular sprinkler constructions. Thus, various sprinklers for various specialized purposes are available, and the nozzle construction of this invention is easily adaptable to any number of sprinkler or other fluid flow devices. In addition, the cap assemblies of the sprinklers currently available from the assignee, Nelson Irrigation Corp., are themselves modular in nature in that they are easily assembled and disassembled from the sprinkler body, and also by reason of the fact that the cap assemblies are adapted to support different kinds of rotatable or fixed water distribution plates for different purposes.
It will therefore be appreciated that this invention provides a further degree of modularity to sprinkler constructions which greatly enhances the overall versatility and flexibility of such sprinklers, and which simplifies replacement/repair procedures in the field with no need for specialized tools, procedures, etc.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows.